How to choose four year college?

Ok so I'm currently attending a community college, & am working on an associates in mathematics. But its time I need to start looking into a school to transfer too, & I'd like to major in physics. But which is better, a public school or a smaller private, not well known school? Personally I'd prefer a school with smaller classes, which is something I really like about the community college & classes. The courses I take there are rarely never more than ten students left by the end of the semester. So any advice on choosing a college? Any college I choose I'd have to get loans for, as I have absolutely no money.

I went to UCLA (double math/physics) after transfer from Santa Monica CC, and it has done well for me. A lot will depend on whether you can relocate or not, and even then whether you have the ability to work on your own and understand the material decently without additional instructor help. If you can, a public school should suffice, but if you think you'd need a great deal of outside help, a private school, with smaller student to instructor ratio, might be better.

I went to UCLA (double math/physics) after transfer from Santa Monica CC, and it has done well for me. A lot will depend on whether you can relocate or not, and even then whether you have the ability to work on your own and understand the material decently without additional instructor help. If you can, a public school should suffice, but if you think you'd need a great deal of outside help, a private school, with smaller student to instructor ratio, might be better.

So people who go to private schools such as Duke or Harvard need more attention and smaller classes because they are slower than regular kids, right.? LOL

Please do not put words in my mouth. I never said that if you go to Duke, et al, that you need extra help. I said that if you need extra help, you may want to go to a school with smaller class sizes (which as I understand it are most private schools).